Closing device for bag filling machines



June 28, 1932. wI R. PETERSON CLOSING DEVICE Fon BAG FILLING MACHINESFiled Nov. 5, 195ol 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y dum/M95 L June 28, 1932. w. R.PETERSON cLosING DEVICE Noa BAG FILLING MACHINES Filed Nov. 5. 1950 2Sheets-Sheet Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAMR. PETERSON, OF OSWEGO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ST. REGIS PAPER COM- nPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF `:NEW YORK yping such a gate.

CLOSING DEVICE FOR BAG FILLING MACHINES Application mea November 5,1930. serial 110,493,519.

This invention relates to a closing device for a bag lilling machine andmore particularly for a machine adapted to till valve bags.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an automatic cut-oli ofmaterial fed to a valve bag when the weight of the bag reaches apredetermined amount. More particularly the object is to provide such acut-of where the closing gate moves in a substantially horizontal`direction, and to provide a simple and elicient construction forautomatically trip- Further objects and details of the invention willappear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, Figure1 is a side elevation of a gate and operating means embodying theinvention, together with portions of a filling machine with which it isused; Fig. 2is a front elevation of portions of two filling devices withthe gate closing means of Fig. 1 attached thereo, the two devices beingshown Ain dilerent positions; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shownin F ig.k2 Fig. 4 is a detail of a portion of a tripping device.

`In the construction shown in the drawings,

aframe supports a hopper 11 from which `material is fed through anoutlet 12. This 4Voutlet is closed, when desired, by a gate 13.

In front of outlet 12 there is a lilling tube 14 adapted to enter thevalve of a bag. Tube 14 is mounted upon an A-shaped frame 15the legs ofwhich rest upon ends 16 of scale beams. A bag-carrying frame 17 ismounted upon the A-frame and may be moved by handle 18 rfrom its fullline position to its dotted line position in that figure, in order todischarge the bag vafter it has been filled.

Attached to the end of gate 13 there is a link 2O connected to the lowerend 21 of a lever `22 fulcrumed on the frame at 23. A bracket 24 mountedon the frame has extending therefrom a pin 25 on which there isfulcrumed a tripping lever 26. Lever 26 has an end 27 in line with ascrew 28 adjustable in a block 29 attached to A-frame 15. Block 29 alsohas a lug beneath end 27 of lever 26 and ay screw 30 mounted in this lugadjusts the tension of a spring 31 bearing against the under side of end27.

The other end of lever 26 carries a screw 32 adapted to contact a fixedlug 33 and limit the downward movement of that end of lever 26. This endalso carries a wear block 34 with which there engages the end ofa trimember35. Trip member 35 is pivoted at 36 adjacent the path of lever 22and carries an abutment yplate 37. On lever 22 there is mounted a pawl38, which is normally swung by a spring 39 until its end 40 engages theblock 41 on lever k22 to which the pawl is pivoted.

Lever 22 carries an arm 42 between which and a fixed lug 43 there is astrong spring 44.

The operation of the device is as follows After a valve bag has beenplaced in position with its valve over lling tube 14, lever 22 is swungfrom the position in which it is shown at the right of Figs. 2 and 3 tothe position in which it is shown at the left of those figures. It willbe readily understood that gate 13 comprises a plate which stops thedischarge while the plate is positioned to the right, as viewed in Figs.2 and 3, while it has a perforation in line with outlet 12 when it ismoved to the left, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. Therefore, the movementof lever 22 in the manner described, opens gate 13 and allows materialto be discharged through tube 14y into the bag.

During this movement to the right of lever ,22 spring 44 is compressedso that it constantly urges the lever and gate back towards closedposition. However, during the movelment of the lever, pawl 38 yields andpasses 'abutment 37 on trip member 35, but immediately when the endofthe pawl passes member 37, it is snapped back into the position inwhich it is shown in Fig. 4 so as to prevent return movement of thelever as long as trip member 35 is retained in the position lin which itis shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and at the left of Figs. 2 and 3.

When beam 16 yields due to the weight of material fed into thefbag,screw 28 depresses the outer end of lever 26, thereby 4raising block 34out of the path of trip mem- Y ber 35, whereupon the expansion of spring44 through pawl 38 forces trip member 35 vto the position in which it isshown at the right of Figs. 2 and 3, which allows the paWl to pass stopmember 37 and, therefore, the lever is swung to gate closing positionand the feed of material through the tube into the bag is thereby cutoli". Thereafter the bag may be discharged by swinging cradle 17 to theposition in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The apparatusis then ready to receive another bag and have the operation repeated. y

It will be understood that trip 35 is automatically returned toits.setposition by any suitable means as soon as paWl 38 passes stop member37, so that it will be inl this position when the A-frame returns to itsupper position and thereby lowers `plate 34C in the path of trip 35. Itfor any reason'trip 35 did not completely return to its setpositionbetore the upward movement ofthe A-rame, and plate 34 shouldencounterthe end o'f the trip member, spring 31 will yield 'sothat nodamage is done and the openin'gmovement of the gate controlling lever22is suilicient to completethe return of trip y35to its set position.

One of the advantages ot the disclosed construction is that lever 22 andlink 2O move in the same plane as gate 13, so'that there is no tendencyto bend the gate and cramp it in Vits slideway. Another advantage liesin the position ot the operatinglever 22 at one side ot the A-trame, sothat it is accessible and does not interfere with any of the bag fillingoperations, and still is tripped bythe movement of the A-rame With aminimum of Working parts and With aminimum efforce applied by the-trame, so that the `Weighing operation is not disturbed by the trippingof the shut-ott' device.

YIt will be seen that a very simple and eili- `cient means has beendevised for automatically closing the gate when a bag has received asulicient amount of material, and that this automatic tripping isaccomplished with the minimum of interference with the Weighing action.

`While the construction shown in detail in the accompanying drawings hasbeen found eliicient and satisfactory, it will be readily understoodthat various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement ofparts Within the scope of the appended claims.

W'hat I claim is:

1. In a valve bag filling machine, a discharge tube adapted to enter thevalve .of a

g, a trame adapted to support abag in position vto .receive materialfrom said tube, a vertically movable Weighing member supporting saidframe, a horizontally movable gate controlling admission of materialinto the tube, a lever, a link connecting one end of the lever to thegate, a spring normally urging the lever .to gate-closingposition, and atrip device normally holdingthe leverin gate-opening position, and meansconnected with the frame for releasing the trip upon downward movementot the frame.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, and in which the lever ismounted for movement in the same plane as the gate.

3. Apparatus in accordance With claim 1 andin which said trip devicecomprises a tripping member movable in a ,plane perpendicular to theplane of movement of the lever.

4. -Apparatus kin accordance with claim 1 and in which thetrip-releasing means comprises a lever -mounted on a horizontal fulcrumand having one end in the path of a member on the trame and one endnormally in the path of an end ofthev trip.

5. In a bag filling machine, a'tube adapted to discharge material into abag, a frame adapted to support a bag in position 'to'receive materialfrom said tube, a vertically movable Weighing member supporting 'saidframe, a gate controlling admission ot'material to said tube, a levermounted for movementin the same plane as thergate and connected to thegate, means constantly'urging the lever to gate-closing position, 'atripfor holding the lever in gate-opening position, said trip beingpivoted to move. in a plane perpendicular to the plane of movement ofthe lever and means for releasing the trip when Vthe frame movesdownward.

6. In a bag illing machine, a tube adaptedto discharge material into abag, a frame "adapted tosupport a bag in position'to're- `ceive materialfrom said'tube, a vertically `movable Weighing member supporting 'said.fra-me, a horizontally movable-gate control- 'ling admission of`material to said tube, a lever having a pawl thereon and mounted"toi-movement in `the plane of the gate "and connected to the gate,means constantly'urging the lever to gate-closing position, a tripforholding the lever'in gate-openingposition, said trip being pivotedfor movement in a plane `perpendicular to fthe plane "of 'fmovement ofthe lever and having'a short "endand a long end, the short end beingadapted to engage a pawl on the lever, .a

" trigger mounted on ,a horizontal 'axis .with 'one end normally in thepath of the long'entl of said trip,andmeans on the 'r'ameengaging the.other end of the `trigger upon'downwardmovement of the frame inresponse to the Weight of a bag thereon.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification.

WILLIAM R. PETER-SCN.

